City Council to hear report on Hog Happenin’

SARAH LOWERY
Staff Writer

A review of this year’s Hog Happenin’ is expected to be a topic of discussion during Thursday’s Lincolnton City Council meeting.
The annual event, which took place more than a month ago on June 7 and 8, has proven to be a somewhat divisive subject in the past, among both council members and the public.
Councilman Devin Rhyne requested at the council’s last meeting on June 3 that a report on expenditures and revenues in “hard dollars” be supplied from this year’s event.
On Thursday’s meeting agenda is both the requested update on the cost of Hog Happenin’ to the city and the Downtown Development Association, as well as citizens’ comments regarding the biker- and barbecue-themed event.
Another item that has sparked much controversy in recent weeks is also on the plate for Thursday evening, as a public hearing will be conducted on the official ordinance amendment for the newly imposed garbage-pickup fee.
Specifically, the change, if approved, will add a section to the Lincolnton Code of Ordinances regarding the collection of the solid-waste fee as it pertains to the city’s fee schedule.
The move comes after the City Council’s split vote to approve the fiscal year 2013-2014 budget, along with its included sanitation fee of $10 a month for residential customers, at the June meeting.
City Manager Jeff Emory said the purpose of Thursday’s hearing will be to receive comments on the actual amendment pertaining to solid-waste billing, not the fee itself.
Other items on Thursday’s agenda include the consideration of a grant contract with the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources for curbside recycling roll-out carts and a monthly financial and overtime report.
The meeting begins at 7 p.m. at City Hall and is open to the public.